Officer promotion after 09S

February 12th, 2012, 01:12 PM

Hello, I'm wondering about the promotion system after joining as an 09S and completing OCS. At which rank does it become competitive? And is there no way to solely earn a promotion unless a slot opens up as well? Thanks!

The day you pin on 2LT, promotion becomes competitive. It is not an automatic to 1LT after 18 months TIG. You still have to be considered for promotion. I am AD so the promotion rates happen a little faster than NG. Check the regulations on requirements.

Comment

The day you pin on 2LT, promotion becomes competitive. It is not an automatic to 1LT after 18 months TIG. You still have to be considered for promotion. I am AD so the promotion rates happen a little faster than NG. Check the regulations on requirements.

Please explain. Provided that someone has a valid DA-1059 and an APFT, it seems like every single 2LT is promoted to 1LT after 18 months TIG, even those with GOMORs.

Comment

I knew a 2LT and 1LT in my BN that did not get promoted after the required TIG. Yes, it is expected to be automatic (which the current system does track) but there are cases that it has happened (e.g. flags). Again my observation and experience is AD. On the other hand; I have seen junior officers get bad ratings and still got promoted. One was a West Point grad that was scolded constantly in front of other officers and a WO1 that was removed from her position and rated by her Captain and Major to be one of the worst they ever seen (that female warrant showed me her OER and counselings) and still got promoted after the required 24 months TIG.

EDIT: Recently an IG complaint was submitted because a WO1 that supposedly failed tape was promoted to CW2. A soldier complained about the unfairness of it. That has been one of the latest discussions in the unit.

In order to disapprove a promotion, promotion authorities must follow the
guidance below:

Battalion Commanders/Promotion Authorities must prepare a DA Form 78 not
later than the promotion effective date if an officer is disapproved for
promotion. In accordance with DODD 1320.10, a 2LT not recommended for promotion
will be retained for evaluation six months after PED, unless their retention is
inconsistent with good order and discipline as determined by the approval
authority and/or promotion review authority. If after the six-month retention
period the officer is still not qualified for promotion to 1LT, then the officer
is released from active duty in accordance with AR 600-8-24, not later than 90
days after notification of pending separation.

During the period of retention, the DA Form 78-R will be held in a suspended
action status at the unit level while the officers duty performance is evaluated
and the recommending and approval authorities find the officer is or is not
qualified for promotion.

If the officer is found qualified for promotion during any part of the
retention period, the PED will be the date the decision is made by the approval
authority to promote the officer. In the remarks section of the "Candidate
Disapproval Justification" screen, the following information will be annotated:

"Officer in retained status from (date) to (date)." These dates must
reflect the period in which the officer was in the retention status, not to
exceed six months.

If the officer is found not qualified for promotion after the retention
period, the approval authority will recommend disapproval of the promotion and
forward the action to the Promotion Review Authority (PRA) for final decision.

The PRA may take the following actions: (1) Further extend the period of
retention if desired, but the officer must be separated no longer than 18 months
after the officers original PED in cases when promotion is denied; (2) promote
the officer (either on the original PED, or the date the PRA decides to
promote); or (3) deny the promotion and direct that the officer be separated in
accordance with AR 600-8-24, paragraph 5-11. The PRA decision is final.

While reviewing promotion data of eligible officers, click on the box in the
"Disapprove" column.

At the "Candidate Disapproval Justification" screen, select a "Disapproval
Reason Code," and type in required remarks. Click "Save," and the
application will return to the eligible candidate listing displaying all
officers marked approved and disapproved for promotion.

Click "submit," and your transactions will be processed in the next
promotion cycle.

Note: Any officer who has past their PED will
appear in "RED" on eligibility lists until the officer is promoted or separated
as a reminder/tool for the commander.

... or wouldn't have been promoted from
WO1 to CW2. It's NOT "automatic" like E1-E4.

Actualy
it kinda.. sort of.. is automatic...unless you are doing something realy bad
(like getting someone killed), the promotion is automatic (i believe is after 1
and a half or 2 years since you get WO1).

It SORTA
is, but there is a WO1 in my BDE that the BDE CDR said will NOT get promoted, he
has done nothing seriously wrong, he's just a screwup at the job. (NOT a pilot.)
I heard of one in Germany in Signal who didn't get promoted a couple years
back... (There are approx 1000 Signal WOs in the entire Army- Reserves, NG, and
Activeduty.)

Comment

Promotions really become competitive after 1LT as you must have a slot to promote into.

They also become increasingly political after 1LT and there are many downsides to this. They are also much too slow compared to the USAR. We have many good company commanders leaving for the USAR after their 6 years. It's not really suprising due to the fact that if the ARNG cannot send people to schools because of the lack of funding and they cannot promote fast enough compared to the USAR, qualified people will leave for an organization that has a promotion system that is more centralized and less prone to nepotism.

Some of this is state specific, some of it is not. Sometimes those up top stay far too long. They become complacent and too comfortable. They have a vested interest in keeping the status quo and become more willing to overlook cases of fraud and egregious cases of ethical violations. For NJ, this has given us quite a black eye: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/12/...eeks-transfer/

They should start looking to accelerate the process of "up and outs" up top to provide incentive for good officers to stay in the ARNG.

They also become increasingly political after 1LT and there are many downsides to this. They are also much too slow compared to the USAR. We have many good company commanders leaving for the USAR after their 6 years. It's not really suprising due to the fact that if the ARNG cannot send people to schools because of the lack of funding and they cannot promote fast enough compared to the USAR, qualified people will leave for an organization that has a promotion system that is more centralized and less prone to nepotism.

Some of this is state specific, some of it is not. Sometimes those up top stay far too long. They become complacent and too comfortable. They have a vested interest in keeping the status quo and become more willing to overlook cases of fraud and egregious cases of ethical violations. For NJ, this has given us quite a black eye: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/12/...eeks-transfer/

They should start looking to accelerate the process of "up and outs" up top to provide incentive for good officers to stay in the ARNG.

I am not surprised. Implementing faster "up and outs" near the top won't prevent cases like these. However, they may reduce the number of cover ups which I am in favor of. Simply put, witnesses that are your friends are less likely to follow protocol than those who are not your friends in cases of misconduct.

Faster "ups and outs" for positions such as the TAG, Deputy TAG, etc. will be followed by many retirements by those close to those individuals. These vacancies will allow others to be promoted and this effect will ultimately trickle down to Captains and other field grade officers.

They also become increasingly political after 1LT and there are many downsides to this. They are also much too slow compared to the USAR. We have many good company commanders leaving for the USAR after their 6 years. It's not really suprising due to the fact that if the ARNG cannot send people to schools because of the lack of funding and they cannot promote fast enough compared to the USAR, qualified people will leave for an organization that has a promotion system that is more centralized and less prone to nepotism.

Comment

They also become increasingly political after 1LT and there are many downsides to this. They are also much too slow compared to the USAR. We have many good company commanders leaving for the USAR after their 6 years. It's not really suprising due to the fact that if the ARNG cannot send people to schools because of the lack of funding and they cannot promote fast enough compared to the USAR, qualified people will leave for an organization that has a promotion system that is more centralized and less prone to nepotism.

Some of this is state specific, some of it is not. Sometimes those up top stay far too long. They become complacent and too comfortable. They have a vested interest in keeping the status quo and become more willing to overlook cases of fraud and egregious cases of ethical violations. For NJ, this has given us quite a black eye: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/12/...eeks-transfer/

They should start looking to accelerate the process of "up and outs" up top to provide incentive for good officers to stay in the ARNG.

If promotions are faster in the USAR, it is because they have the vacancies.

They have vacancies because of how the USAR cross levels its Soldiers. Also, the USAR doesn't tie their miltechs to their military position.